Prof Adam Le Gresley
Applications accepted all year round
Self-Funded PhD Students Only
About the Project
The newly established Bear group at Kingston University in London is looking for a highly motivated self-funded PhD student to spearhead research into the new and rapidly developing area of “inverse vulcanisation” sulphur polymers.
The need to maximise the potential of industrial chemical processes is essential for an environmentally responsible world economy. With unprecedented strains placed on fossil fuels, alternative feedstocks for hydrocarbon based chemical commodities such as polymers require urgent development. To that end, “inverse vulcanisation” polymers based on sulphur chain backbones have been developed,[1,2] utilising sulphur chains linked with organic molecules. Nanocomposites developed from the incorporation of pre-grown nanoparticles were previously reported by our group, along with the first porous carbons derived from these materials.[3,4] The wide range of potential, as yet undiscovered inverse vulcanised polymers shows the tremendous scope for rapid development in the field, at which the Bear group is at the cutting edge.
The successful applicant will join a team improving the physical properties of “inverse vulcanisation” polymers with strong application driven goals in the fields of catalysis, healthcare and engineering. The student will gain expertise in polymer and nanomaterials synthesis, 3D-printing and the use of a variety of analytical techniques, including, but not limited to: electron microscopy, thermal analysis, NMR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
Applicants should have, or expect to gain, at least a 2.1 honours or equivalent at Bachelors or Masters level in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, or a related discipline. The successful applicant will demonstrate strong interest and self-motivation in the subject and the ability to think creatively. An enquiring and rigorous approach to research as well as good team-working, observational and communication skills (both presentation and writing skills in English) are also essential. Previous research experience in contributing to a collaborative interdisciplinary research environment, especially in polymer science is highly desirable but not essential, as comprehensive training will be provided.
Funding Notes
There is no funding for this project: applications can only be accepted from self-funded candidates
References
1. Chung, W. J. et al. The use of elemental sulfur as an alternative feedstock for polymeric materials. Nat. Chem. 5, 518–524 (2013).
2. Griebel, J. J., Li, G., Glass, R. S., Char, K. & Pyun, J. Kilogram scale inverse vulcanization of elemental sulfur to prepare high capacity polymer electrodes for Li-S batteries. J. Polym. Sci. Part Polym. Chem. 53, 173–177 (2015).
3. Bear, J. C., McGettrick, J. D., Parkin, I. P., Dunnill, C. W. & Hasell, T. Porous carbons from inverse vulcanised polymers. Microporous Mesoporous Mater. 232, 189–195 (2016).
4. Bear, J. C. et al. Nanoparticle–sulphur “inverse vulcanisation” polymer composites. Chem. Commun. 51, 10467–10470 (2015).
5. Griebel, J. J. et al. New Infrared Transmitting Material via Inverse Vulcanization of Elemental Sulfur to Prepare High Refractive Index Polymers. Adv. Mater. 26, 3014–3018 (2014).
6. Parker, D. J. et al. Low cost and renewable sulfur-polymers by inverse vulcanisation, and their potential for mercury capture. J. Mater. Chem. A (2016). doi:10.1039/C6TA09862B
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